The Pen Is Mightier
by Charming Tia
Summary: What if there is an alternate universe where everything we imagine actually happens? This was originally done and posted in 2001, then removed sometimes around 2004, I think. Well it's baaaack.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige Halliwell, Andy Trudeau, Leo Wyatt, Cole Turner and all other characters who have appeared in the series "Charmed" together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, and the Warner Brothers Television Network. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.**

**A/N: This story was written and originally posted back in September of 2001. What can I say, humor is how I cope with things and so after 9/11 this became a form of therapy. The more stressful life was, the more I wrote. I took it down and had it posted just at my website, but I've decided to put it back up here. Please bear in mind that this story is almost seven years old and was the first fanfic I wrote, so be kind because I haven't gone through to correct anything. **

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_What if there is an alternate universe, where everything we imagine here happens to the characters?_

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Cole climbed up the stairs and slowly opened the door to his and Phoebe's bedroom. _Please let her be asleep,_ he thought. He didn't want to talk; he just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. It had been an exhausting day.

The mattress and the warm sheets seemed to caress his tired body, but before he could slip into blissful sleep he felt the body beside him move.

"Cole, sweeties, you awake?" Phoebe asked.

"I am now," Cole mumbled under his breath before turning over to face her. "What is it?" he asked.

"Cole, what is it that you do while my sisters and I are out vanquishing the demons?"

"Excuse me?" Cole asked, tensing.

"You know, while we're out saving the day you're just…non existent. What is it that you do?"

"Trust me, Phoebe, you don't want to know."

"Okay, now you're scaring me," Phoebe said, now sitting up in the bed. "Cole, I need to know what it is. Maybe my sisters and I can help you."

"You can't Phoebe, so please just let it drop."

"I can't Cole. You know that. I worry about you, especially when you always come back so exhausted."

Cole sighed. Should he tell her the truth and get it off his chest?

"Let's just say that I'm fighting something more evil than demons."

"You're fighting the Source? Cole, why…"

"The Source?" Cole laughed. "The Source is nothing compared to these people. Hell, the folks I'm dealing with could chew the Source up and spit him out again…not that they ever do."

"Cole, who are you talking about? Who is more powerful than the Source, and why haven't you said anything about this until now?"

"It's the fanfic writers, Phoebe," Cole said, closing his eyes again. "While you're off with your sisters, fighting evil, I'm the favorite topic of fanfic writers."

"Excuse me?" Phoebe said. "Fanfic writers? You think fanfic writers are more powerful than the Source?"

"Trust me, they are. You have no idea the evil that goes through their minds, and once those thoughts are formed, I have to go and do what they want. You can't imagine how many times I've died, you've died, your sisters have died, Prue has come back to life, I've turned evil, you've turned evil, I've married you, I've left you, you've left me…it's a nightmare, Phoebe. Apparently we have several children, although some of them I don't know about yet. It's awful," Cole said, and he started crying.

"Well we'll just take care of these fanfic writers," Phoebe said, holding him in her arms. "There has to be some way to take care of them."

"No," Cole said, suddenly horrified. "Don't say that; they'll do something terrible to us again."

"Again? Cole, why don't I remember anything about fanfic writers?"

"Because they like to give you amnesia and make you forget…maybe it's because you're a witch. I don't know. But don't upset them. I'm telling you, the pen really is mightier than the sword in this case."

"Well if they could get rid of the Source at any time, why don't they?" Phoebe asked.

"Because if they get rid of him, then they wouldn't have anybody to torture me."

"Oh. But you said we're married?"

"Only with some of the writers. With others we broke up, and some seem to have us in infinite limbo."

"Are we happy, being married?"

"I guess so. It depends."

"Well I want us to be married and live happily ever after!" Phoebe shouted to the ceiling.

"It doesn't work like that," Cole told her. "It's how they want it, never what you want. Please, just go to sleep before one of them hears you and decides to write another story."

"Too late," a voice said, and a really ugly demon appeared beside the bed. It grabbed Phoebe and shimmered out of the room.

Cole just started crying and saying "Not again," over and over and over...

_And thus, another fanfic began…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Yes, I'm back with another chapter of this one. No, I'm not ignoring Another Chance -- I already have 20+ chapters of this story that I've written between 2001 and now, so I figured I may as well upload them while I'm working on the next chapter of AC. Enjoy!**

**I know that these chapters are fairly short, which is why I'm uploading one every day or so...I was new at this when I wrote it and getting 500 words done was a big accomplishment for me at the time.**

**Standard disclaimers apply :-)**

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After the demon left with Phoebe, Cole sat there crying for a few minutes wondering what he should do next. Before he could come up with any ideas, another demon appeared, grabbed him, and shimmered out with Cole. When they stopped shimmering, Cole looked around and knew instantly that he was in the Underworld.

"Great, this is just great," Cole said under his breath. Why couldn't Phoebe have just left well enough alone? Why?

"Cole, honey, are you okay?" Phoebe asked as she ran up to Cole.

"I'm fine," he said. "What about you?"

"I'm fine. That demon just brought me here and then left. I haven't see anyone or anything until you got here."

"Something's going on," Cole said. "Demons don't bring you to the Underworld and just leave you there."

"You think it's them, don't you?" Phoebe asked.

"The fanfic writers? I know it's them. Everything that happens is because one of them got an idea and decided to write a story."

"Did you do something to them?"

"What! Phoebe, how could I have done something to them? All I get to do is live out their fantasies."

"Look, whoever you think you are, this isn't fair!" Phoebe yelled, looking up. "Cole has been through enough; give him a break."

"Phoebe, I told you before that it doesn't work that way. You'll only make things worse."

"You don't know that, Cole. Maybe this writer isn't so bad. I mean, we haven't been attacked by demons or imprisoned by the Source, have we? I think it's worth a try."

"Okay, but I'm telling you that they never do what you ask."

"I want to go home!" Phoebe yelled. Almost instantly there was a sparkling white light, and Phoebe disappeared.

"Oh, sure, listen to her!" Cole said angrily. "How come you never give me what I want?" Then Cole thought about what Phoebe had said. Maybe this writer wasn't so bad. "I'm sorry," Cole said, although he felt foolish looking up when he talked...but it worked for Phoebe, so why not? "It's just been a very exhausting day, and when I wanted to just go to sleep you took Phoebe and I and dropped us here. You can write this story tomorrow, can't you?" Cole then took a deep breath and yelled, "I want to be at home, in bed!"

Cole saw the view before him dissolve, and when it rematerialized he felt a warm body beside him and soft sheets beneath him. _Finally,_ Cole though, _a fanfic writer with some compassion. Maybe they aren't all evil after all._ The body beside him moved, and he felt a hand rest on his thigh. He turned over to look at Phoebe and see if she was asleep.

Cole and Paige both screamed at the same time.

Piper and Phoebe heard the screams, and they came out onto the landing just in time to see Paige throwing everything that she could orb at Cole.

Cole was trying to duck while yelling, "I meant **_my_** bed!" to the ceiling.

Phoebe, of course, did not remember any of what had happened so she started to sob. Piper put her arms around her and told her not to worry...they would get Cole the mental help that he obviously needed.


	3. Chapter 3

_Wow, I wrote really really short chapters back then didn't I? Standard disclaimers apply, see chapter one._

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In the midst of household objects flying past Cole's head, the Source appeared. It startled Cole, who froze in place. Paige took advantage of the situation and lobbed an ashtray at his head, knocking him out.

Cole woke up in the Underworld again. "Just once, could I wake up in bed with Phoebe? Just once, that's all I'm asking," he said as he looked up.

"Talking to your imaginary friends," the Source asked, and Cole realized for the first time that he wasn't alone.

"What do you want from me?" Cole asked.

"I thought we could have a tea party…you, me, the Oracle, maybe a few stuffed animals. What do you think I want? I want to torture and torment you. That's my purpose."

"I thought you wanted to destroy the Charmed Ones?"

"Sure, but that's just an excuse to torture and torment you. They like to see you go through hell."

"They?"

"The fanfic writers. Oh, don't look surprised. Of course I know about them. They are the ones who keep me alive, but then you already know that. That is why you can never hope to defeat me. The fanfic writers are powerful beings, and they obviously love and adore me. How else do you explain the fact that no one can destroy me? They protect me. Dare I say they worship me?"

An unseen force knocked the Source on his butt, and Cole laughed. "I guess you dare not."

"Who dares to challenge me?" the Source demanded.

"I wouldn't take that tone if I were you," Cole warned. "Some of these writers don't take kindly to getting attitude from us."

"Nonsense! You said yourself that the writers were evil, and since I am the Source of Evil, I control them and they will do my bidding!"

Cole moved to a corner of the chamber, trying to make himself smaller. "You're only going to make the writer angry," Cole cautioned.

"They obey me!" the Source yelled at him, then turned to look upward. "Show this traitor that you do my bidding, and show him my true nature that he may look upon me with fear!"

There was a flash of light, and Cole saw the Source dressed in drag and serving tea to a group of stuffed animals that were seated around a small table. "Now this is something to be afraid of," Cole said to himself. "I'm going to have nightmares for weeks…assuming I ever actually make it into the bed I belong in so I can get some sleep."

The scene before him dissolved as before, and he found himself in bed. This time it was the right bed, and Phoebe snuggled up beside him. He waited to see if something was going to come and snatch him away again, but nothing happened. Finally exhaustion caught up with him and he fell asleep, thankful that he was given a little break. He did have nightmares about the Source trying to make him come to his tea party, though.


End file.
